I am cross.

I made a lunch time dash to Boots for some retail therapy – BIG mistake – I ended up returning to work a very, very grumpy Magpie.

I went to an Oxford Street store with the intention of using up my Advantage Card vouchers and went around filling up my basket with toiletries I neither need nor want (I had a double points thingy). As I was wondering aimlessly around I noticed a special offer on the Soap & Glory range – if you spent more than £12 you got a free gift full of mini S&G smellies – sounds good right?

Now Soap & Glory products may be a ridiculously overpriced but they do smell gorgeous and they are pink with amusing names like the Clean on Me shower gel and the One Night Tanned spray – that’s more than enough to convince me.

I happily plonked two items into my basket and looked around for the free gift. I couldn’t see it so I presumed the gift would be given at the till. Then because I am a plonker I paid for my things, racked up some points (woo hoo) and completely forgot to ask about the gift.

This realisation came to me about three minutes after I left the shop so I promptly turned around and went back to the shop only to be told the gifts had run out. I came across a very polite but rather dim assistant who explained that the gifts were only on offer until stocks last, therefore they had no obligation to provide the freebie.

That seems fair enough I replied – what doesn’t seem fair however is the fact that I was not told the stock had run out and the very large poster was still up advertising the deal. I quite happily paid over £12 on the assumption that I would be getting the advertised freebie.

Trying to explain this to Miss Polite but Dim proved fruitless. She insisted on repeating quite manically that it was ‘only until stocks last’ again and again. At no point did she ask me if I wanted a refund or accept that they should take down the advertising the minute they knew the stock had run out. It was clear I was wasting my time so I thanked her ever so politely for her helpfulness and stomped out of the store.

Has anyone else had any problems like this? Rant about it here! You’ll feel much better I promise!

Moneymagpie Chiara